The Pittsburgh Steelers win big for making one of the more interesting free agent signings this year. This happened when the team found a way to re-sign Australian-born punter Jordan Berry in February, one month before his U.S. work visa was slated to expire.
In doing so, it saved Berry the trip back to Australia to process the paperwork necessary to return to the United States. The move also allows Berry to proceed with his plans to get married on May 10.
“Worst-case scenario, you miss your wedding,” said Berry, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. “So I wanted to get [a deal] done and avoid all of that. We spoke with the guys with the Steelers to see what they could do.”
We must laugh a little at Berry saying the worst-case scenario would be him missing his wedding. Even worse would likely have been him helping his fiancee not have a complete breakdown. This bit of insight is for those who have no idea of how much time and effort it takes to plan a wedding.
Joking aside, the Steelers were able to work with the NFL to have Berry sign a “low-qualifying tender amount” to secure him to a one-year contract. Berry’s agent Mook Williams had this to say about his appreciation for the Steelers’ efforts.
“The Steelers and Jordan worked together on an unconventional challenge to keep Jordan in Pittsburgh,” Williams said. “This relieved the stress Jordan would have had to dealt with had he waited until the restricted tenders came out.”
Berry has been a punter for the Steelers since 2015. This is definitely a story that comes along with a happy ending.